Cross Country Ranks Among the Top Academic Teams

Utes record 12th best GPA.

Chelsea DiGrazia had a 4.0 last semester.
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Feb. 26, 2007

SALT LAKE CITY - The US Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) listed the University of Utah women's cross country team as one of the top academic squads in the country.

"To be recognized is an honor and a tribute to the student-athletes who work as hard as they do," said cross country head coach Kyle Kepler. "To finish 12th in the country is a statement to the type of student-athletes we have here at the University of Utah. Their expectations are extremely high, both in the classroom and on the course."

The Utes recorded a cumulative grade-point average of 3.566, which is the 12th-highest in the country.

Utah's effort was second in the conference. Other Mountain West Conference schools and their GPA's in descending order were: Brigham Young, 3.730 (which led the nation); Wyoming, 3.265; TCU, 3.263; and Air Force, 3.035.

Pacing the team's effort was Lauren Endersen and Chelsea DiGrazia. Endersen has a cumulative GPA of 4.0 (in biology) while DiGrazia recorded a perfect score last fall. Trailing them were Alyssa Abbott, Rebecca Mackelprang and Stephanie Skoreyko. They all finished with a 3.75 or better.

The top-five cross country scores also rank in the top 10 on Utah's track and field team.

An amazing total of 144 teams received Division I Women's All-Academic Cross Country Team honors for the 2006 season. To be honored as an All-Academic Team, teams were required to compete in an NCAA regional meet and have at least a cumulative GPA of 3.0.